Rolf De Heer :
"Bad Boy Bubby lives"!

PostED ON  12.10.2015 AT 4:45PM

He timidly advanced his slender frame to the front of the stage and, smiling and moved, delivered a few anecdotes about directing his masterpiece. A guest of honor of the Lumière festival, Australian director Rolf De Heer explained the development of Bad Boy Bubby on Monday before an attentive audience. After unveiling a plaque with his name on the Wall of Filmmakers, he also mentioned Quentin Tarantino...

"It's amazing to be here. Twenty-three years ago, we started preparing this film without knowing that, after so many years, it would still be alive and screened before a packed audience," he confessed, adding, "People have even tattooed 'Mom' and 'Pop' - two of the characters in the film (on their bodies, Ed.)! It was a great pleasure to make this film. It's touching to see it rereleased today."

The filmmaker then related how he once ran into Quentin Tarantino, who has never hidden his admiration for Bad Boy Bubby. "He was introduced to me at a dinner in Cannes and, sitting across me, after a brief pause, he smiled and shouted, "Bad Boy Bubby!"

"The appreciation we have for films depends on what we expect," he said. "For example, if you wait too long, you'll obviously be disappointed. The specific thing with this film is that it doesn't follow these kinds of rules. This movie gives you something."

Referring to the first third of the film, the director admitted having chosen an aspect ratio of 1: 66: 1 to underline the oppressive and deranged atmosphere of Bubby's living quarters.

"Then, when the character leaves the house, the frame widens to 1: 85: 1. When we watched the film in post-production, the 1: 66: 1 turned out to be so claustrophobic, that the film was unwatchable. But we kept it! For the remainder of the film, we tried to visually double what Bubby actually sees. No one has ever noticed it!"

Interview by B.P